Eye Infection — Fast Guide to Causes, Care, and When to See a Doctor

Red, gritty, or watery eyes are annoying — and sometimes serious. This guide helps you tell common types of eye infections apart, gives simple home-care steps you can trust, and explains when you need medical help to protect your sight.

Common causes & symptoms

Bacterial infections usually cause thick, yellow or green discharge, redness, and eyelids stuck together in the morning. Viral infections often start in one eye, feel watery, and can follow a cold or sore throat. Allergic reactions make both eyes itchy, red, and watery, often with sneezing or other allergy signs. Styes and chalazia are local lumps on the eyelid that can be painful or tender. Keratitis (corneal infection) brings sharper pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision, and needs faster attention.

Knowing the pattern helps: sticky yellow crust = likely bacterial; clear watery discharge and recent cold = likely viral; intense itch and both eyes = likely allergy. But patterns aren’t perfect. If you wear contact lenses and have any new redness, treat it as potentially serious.

Treatment and when to see a doctor

Try these safe first steps at home: wash hands, avoid touching your eyes, stop using contact lenses, and use a clean compress — warm for styes, cool for allergic swelling. Over-the-counter artificial tears help comfort viral and allergic cases; antihistamine eye drops relieve allergic itching. Bacterial infections often need antibiotic eye drops or ointment prescribed by a doctor — they speed recovery and lower the risk of spread.

See a doctor right away if you have worsening pain, changes in vision, light sensitivity, severe redness, symptoms after eye injury, or fever with eye symptoms. Contact-lens wearers should get prompt care for any red eye because certain bacteria can damage the cornea quickly. Babies with eye discharge need urgent evaluation too.

If a doctor prescribes medication, follow the full course and avoid sharing towels or pillowcases. Don’t use leftover drops or antibiotics from another illness — that can make infections harder to treat.

Practical prevention tips you can do now: wash hands often, don’t rub your eyes, replace eye makeup every 3 months, and clean or replace contact cases monthly. Avoid sharing makeup, towels, or pillowcases while you’re symptomatic.

Most mild viral or allergic eye infections improve within a week with supportive care; bacterial cases often clear in a few days on antibiotics. But always watch for signs that suggest more than a simple pink eye — quick action protects your vision and helps you recover faster.